Device for elevating and turning vehicles.



R. BAUMAN. DEVIGB FOR BLEVATING AND TURNING VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15, 1913.

1,087,424. Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

' INVENTOR UN TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLPH BAUMAN, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

DEVICE FOR ELEVATING AND TURNING VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1'7, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH BAUMAN, a citizen of the United .States, and resident of -Newark, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Elevating and Turning Vehicles, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to an improved device for elevating and turning vehicles, being adapted especially for use in garages, enabling workmen to have easy access to the under side of an automobile, and obviating the necessity of a pit.

The device is also designed to provide means for turning the vehicle, this being accomplished by mounting a turn table above the elevating mechanism, the turning movement being possible when the turn-table is elevated a very slight distance.

The invention further consists in certain details of construction which are fully set forth in this specification and embodied in the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a top view, partly broken away, showing my improved elevating and turningdevice. Fig. 2 is a side view of the device illustrated in Fig. 1.

.The device consists of an elevating mechanism which is surmounted on a turn-table, the drawing illustrating one embodiment of my improved device, it being obvious that details of construction can be altered without departing from the scope of my invention as set forth in the claims.

In the drawing 1 illustrate a plate 10 which is placed in a depression in the ground or floor and acts as a bearing plate. .Mounted on said plates are nuts 11 which are formed as pinions with teeth to fprovide for their rotation. Suitable ant-iict-ion devices can be installed if desired, but I show hubs 12 resting in recesses in the plate 10 which allow the rotation of the nuts. The nuts are threaded and embrace the screws 13 which are separated as desired to properly distribute the strain on the screws. Suitable tubes 14 are used to incase the screws and keep them clean. The nuts 11 are turned in unison by suitable mechanism, the form shown consisting of a gear 15 arranged side the line-1 of the nuts 11 and meshing with the teeth 16 of the nuts. The gear rotates on asuitable shaft 17 which is secured to the I plate 10. A sprocket 18 on the shaft 17 is turned by a chain 19 which passes over a driving-sprocket 20, the sprocket 20 having a shaft 21 which in turn. is rotated by a handle or wheel 22 mounted on the stem '23 and being preferably secured by reason of its end 24 having a socket to go over the square end of the shaft 21. It will be evident that when the operating mechanism above described is operated, the screws are moved up or down and the elevation of the device can be changed.

On the screws 13 I secure a turn-table, the form illustrated consisting of a ring 25 over which is placed a rotatable plate 26, the

rollers 27 running in the groove 28, 'or any other suitable anti-friction means allowing an easy turning of the plate. The plate 26 1s circular and when in its lower or normal position, is flush with a plate 29 which is fastened by bolts 30 to the sprocket 18 and forms a cover or shield for the gear 15. The plate 29 also acts with the plate 26 to form a smooth surface even with the ground or floor so that no obstructions or depressions are presented to the passage of vehicles over the device.

Suitable rails 31 which can be flat or provided with rims 32 are supported by the plate 26 and have their ends normally resting on the floor beyond the depression therein and operating to limit the downward travel of the elevating mechanism.

The device, when installed in a garage or in a similar situation where it is desirable 'be used as a turn-table, a very slight turn of the elevating mechanism raises the ends of the-rails 31 above the level of the floor and the bottom of the rails need only clear the floor to permit their being swung. The rails and the turn-table can then be utilized for turning the vehicle in any desired direction. If it is necessary to repair underneath the automobile or similar vehicle, the elevating mechanism is run upward until sufiicient clearance is gained to permit a workman to have ready access toethe under part of the machine. The central portion or cut-away portion of the plate 26, which is filled by the plate 29 when the elevating mechanism is down, permits access to the inside of the ring and allows a workman to repair the car underneath.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A device for elevating and turning vehicles'comprising separated screws, nuts on the screws, the nuts having teeth on their peripheries, a gear meshing with the nuts and acting to rotate them in unison, a ring on the screws, a plate rotatably arranged on the ring, and a plate on the gear and at the normal level of the plate on the screws, the plate on the screws being provided with an opening to receive the plate on the gear.

2. A device for elevating and turning vehicles comprising separated screws, nuts on the screws for changing the elevation of the screws, means for operating the nuts in unison, a ring on the screws, a round plate on the ring, roller bearings between the ring and the plate for permitting the plate to turn, and rails on the plate for supporting the vehicle.

- 3. A device for elevating and turning vehicles comprising a central gear with a plate mounted thereon, nuts with teeth on their edges in mesh with the gear, screws in the nuts, means for operating the gear, and a rotatable plate supported on the screws, the rotatable plate being adapted to support a Vehicle and arranged to be placed flush with the plate on the gear when in normal position.

4:. A device for elevating vehicles coming teeth thereon for their operation, a cen-' tral gear within the line of mechanisms, said gear being in mesh with the teeth of said mechanisms, and vehicle supporting means on the elevating mechanisms.

6. A device for elevating vehicles com prising separated elevating mechanisms having teeth thereon for their operation, a central gear within the line of mechanisms, said gear being in mesh with the teeth of said mechanisms, a plate covering the gear, and a ring proportioned to 'fit around the plate, the ring being secured on the elevating mechanisms and having means thereon for supporting the vehicle.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I hereto set my hand, this 5th day ofAugust,

RUDOLPH BAUMAN. Witnesses WM. H. CAMFIELD, M. A. JOHNSON. 

